ARTICLE

Ghee, also known as clarified butter, has been deemed a bit of a super-fat in health circles for a variety of reasons, not the least of which are that it’s both paleo-friendly and lactose-free. But while it’s currently on-trend, this butter derivativeactually has a long history in the culinary and medicinal worlds of Southeast Asia, and may just be the fat to change the way you cook.

What is Ghee?

A butter derivative with no lactose? It almost seems too good to be true, and yet ghee is very real.

Ghee is a clarified butter that has had its  milk solids toasted then skimmed away from the fat, resulting in a product that combines oil’s very high smoke point and butter’s rich, nutty flavor and excellent nutritional profile.

Ghee may only now be appearing on store shelves with any regularity, but it’s been around  for more than 5,000 years throughout the Indian subcontinent, where it is traditionally made from sacred cows’ milk and used in religious ceremonies. Ghee is also commonly used as a cooking fat, particularly in Punjabi cuisine – the regional cuisine served in most Indian restaurants – where it is preferred to oil for its rich flavor.

5 Health Benefits of Ghee

As a butter byproduct, ghee is a type of cooking fat. That said, as last year’s update to the federal health guidelines confirmed, not all fats are created equal, and ghee, as an animal-derived fat, may be one of the best options.

“The more we learn about the dangers of partially hydrogenated oils, the more healthful these alternative spreads look,” says Rafael Avila, Director of Research and Development at Nature’s Plus.

While it took modern medicine some time to catch up, traditional Ayurvedic medicine has long prescribed ghee for digestive issues, ulcers, and for the product’s natural vitalizing properties.

That said, it’s important to choose the source of your ghee carefully. As Christina Major of Crystal Holistic Health explains, “In naturally raised animals, the fat profile is healthy. There are over 30 different fats, and when butter is clarified into ghee, the fat profile is near perfect for us.”

If the animals aren’t raised naturally or healthfully, however, as with conventional butter products, this concentrated ghee can have the opposite effect, and at the very least, it won’t boast nearly as many health benefits.

LEE’S PRODUCT

We are a maker of premium, organic ghee. Also known as clarified butter, ghee is an ancient pantry staple from India which has been used for thousands of years as both a cooking oil and in Ayurvedic medicine. Ghee is made by slowly simmering butter to separate the milk solids which are skimmed off, leaving behind just the pure butter oil. We infuse our ghee with premium ingredients from around the world to create flavours that are delicious to cook with, use as a spread, or just eat all on their own!

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